Apparatus for treating liquids.



LQL-QGQ. men/mi om. 10, 1916.

CLARENCE P. LANDRETH, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING LIQUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct; 10, 1916.

Application tiled July 14, N14. Serial No. 851,024.

vTo ali fav/mm it lmay concern lle it known that l, CLARENCE l. LAN- mm'rn, a citizen of the llnited States.y residing in Philadelphia, lel'insylvania, have inrentclh certain ln'iproi'ements in Apparatus for Treating Liquids, of which the following a specification.

My invention relates to that treatment of liquids for various purposes which involves the employment ot' elet-tricitywith or with oni thc use of chemical agents; such treatment being; principally applicable and Yaluable for rendering contaminated water potable, or for rendering chemically objectionable water available for uses in the arts.

My present invention comprises an apparatus in which my improved process or treatment can be carried out. in which apparatus a plurality ol electrodes are arranged in separate banks or sets suitably counectei'l and insulated so that in the case of wear, breakage, short circuiting, or any accident occurring in one bank or set, the platesy comprising such bank or set may be cut out of circuit or otherwise disposed of without interfering,` with the operation ot' the apparatus and the process involved. lilith my innku'oi'e'd aitrparatus l provide means for keeping the electrodes in a proper electrical condition, and for agitating the water or other liquid undergoing treatment whereby nio'i'ement of -1i|cli liquid, independently ot' the. torce of its flou' may he imparted thereto. y

A ,further feature of my invention is to provide. means for introducing chemicals for action upon the liquid being treated, and a still further obiect is to yiroviile1 an apparatus for treating smalll quantities of liquid which may lic sub to treat larger quantities of llhe saine.

These and other lente-.isis oli my invention are more fully described hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawigure l, is an elevation, partly'ln section, of my improved Water treating apgiaratns; Fig. asectional plan View on the line lf-2, Fig. l: Fig. 3, is a pir s peut we I I tho apparatus; 1l, is a perspective View of tile base or bottoni of tlie.saine; l`igs. 5 and il, are perspective views of plates or electrodes which l employ'FigvT, is

a sectional View' illustrating a form of closure interposed 'between the banks or sets ot sqiuently employed4 View ci the capv plate or cover ot electriides; Fig. 8, is a sectional View of the electrodes, showing the rotating elements betn'ecn the saine and protective means for the shaft driving said elements; Fig. 8 is a similar View illustrating a modified form of protective means; Fig. 9, is a diagrammatic View illustrating tlieuse of my improved apparatus for treating electrically a small body of liquid by-passed from a larger body, which larger body is subsequentlyacted upon by the electrically treated pntion of.' the liquid; Fig. l0, is av sectional viewillustrab ing,r electrodes of modified form; Fig. 11, is a view of one of the electrodes employed in the structure shown in Fig. 10; Fig,12,is a.

view showing means for supporting the Sets` nl electrodes within the treating chamber, and Figs. 13 and lll, are `views illustratingtlic electrical eonnections'forthe plates;

ln the present apparatus, the side Valls 1 are of wood, preferably of considerable thickness; suitably braced by cross-bars 2, and bolted' together by 'bolts 3, so asto in sure strength and rigidity, while a cover plate or door l is also secured by bolti'ngf; one set of bolts having additional 'sections il rt'or rcmccnjahly securing said door in place. 4 The structure is also provided with angular" corner pieces o which'serve to vertically stillen the saine. .A top or cap 6, and a bottom or hase i. `pre'lirnbly ot' metal, bave recessed edges il, to receive the lside. wallsl l: packing il being preferably interposed between the bottoni of Said recesses and said. side walls. The top i3 and oase are pro vided with corner lugs 10,' apertured at 10 for the reception of adjustable ,tension bolts ll whereby the Walls ofthe casingr may be rigidly confined between tho same.

A plurality of banks or series of electrodcs l2 are contained within the casing., and their arrangement is substantially tlv` same as that illustrated in'my Patent No. la'lfli. dated May 5, 1914; the present plates being oblongr 4in shape and substantially filling the cross,`sectional area of the casing. To provide for circulation of liquid between these plates, alternate plates are provided with apertures 123,'wl1ich may be centrally disposed, While the others have' their corners removed at. Figs. 5 "ncl l do not desire to be limited toisucli Viorrn of plates or electrodes, however, and in lligs. 10 and il, l show an arrangement of electrodes' in which the top and bottom eleclll', as shown in of each set is arranged as to liquid to flow from side to easing (Fig. 1.1;) the plates 120`n` td between th'e plates .l/2G being some.- vrliatshort' .i so as to' provide the necessary spare for the pa@ of liquid its how from to side ol the apparatus. The

pistes lil'. are rut: aru'ay as indicated :it 190".

The plates :are suitably secured together inA sets or banks. as in my patented structure, and, cach set or bank lndelfeudent'ly supported bysuitable'rails 13 carried by the side Walls 'nl' the casing. as hereinafter de-Y scribed. The apparatus is provided 'with rotating members 14 disposed between the plates or electrodes to agitate the liquid hetween aud adjacent to sn-id plates; said mein- .bers being driven by shafts l5. These shafts are preferably arrangedin short secbracesP i tions which muy be comico-ted together by suitable couplings comprising sectional blocks l6. recessed or -npertured to receive the shaft ends and conne-.ced together by bolts 1.7.

. The casing of the structure being of wood, it is necessary to provide mee-ns to insure the closing of the same by the door 1, at one side or the. otheras may bc .most convenient or desirable. In order to'perrnit the employrneiitof Wood or similar material for the -door` it is eential that the same be braced,

and such bracing, which is generally inthe form `ot' channel or angle iron'fglrequires space Within the casing.v insure that the door when set-up' 'will' be in' proper relation to thebsnlrs of electrodes andi toeveid con tact of' the .inetal'br'nees 4with the electrodes, I provide cover pieces 2l of wood or other insuluting material-'for seidbraces-EZa which. with. the cover pieces,l lie in the space-she 'tween the respective banks of electrodes and out of the wey of the same. To insure travel of the liquid undergoing treatment in contact with the plates or electrodes and to avoid any short circui'tingV o the. owro the Witter or other liquid '-.vhi might take place by reason of its Contact with the n'ietal 'provide the spaces adiecent the door with flaps .fl'iich are cnr ied by the wooden core. pieces 21 and overlie the plates in such Inanner'to insure vthat the pressure Y of the liquid will Ireep'then'rin place. `While this arrangement leaves pocketsadjncent the sides of the pletesor electrodes receiving small bodies of liquid, these bodies are constantly -r-.hanging `and therefore do not impair the efficiency of the apparatus. The flaps seri-'c uis'o ns packing means, und the described construction is particularly dc.-

rahle inasm uch is l employ packing iu' the form oi an elastic 23 between the door and the rns Vfor come." door i i and space must he left liquid. tight.

rails i?, upon which the i seid gasket when the,

plates rest, provision must be made for he accommodation. of nuts 24 ot spacing bolts cr tie rods 25 connecting the plates i2 to gether. To this end said rails, which are. preferably channel-form to :idd stillness :1nd strength to the structure have angle pieces 13n secured to their upper flanges, which angie. pieces form upwardly projecting' supporting ledges disposed 'a slight distance in- .n-nr'd from the walls of the casiiw.-

'lheubanks of electrodes are entirely independent nnd separable from eachother, and euch set of rotating members 14 of each bank has an independent shaft polygonal ,in

shape; a square shaft being preferred, and the shafts of adjoining banks areconnected together by the box couplings '16 before referred to, which couplings are rca ily separable when it isdesired to withdraw from the easing any banliof electrodes. By independently supportingcach bank' lor set of electrodes by the rails 13, 13a, any one may be removed `without .affecting the others. I employ banks of: electrodes comprising suitable plates which, during the operation of the apparatus: are alternatelyr positive and negative, depending upon theV direction of the 'curi-cnt, and these plates are spaced apart for the reception ofthe members 14: carried by the shaft 15 to which movement is imparted by suitable meanslwhereby' said members may be rotated with respect to the plates The plates are apertured for. the

passage ofthe shaft and-for the disposition of the hubs of the between the respective. plates servethe purpose of agitating the water or other liquid being treated independently-of its llow and serve to distribute or carry into the flowing Water or vother liquid any deposit loosened from the plates and prevent accumulation of foreign rnatte'rjthereon.

ln practice, owingl to the danger of electrolytic corrosion, it is imprncticable to employ a. shaft of corrodible metal unless the paddles; thepreferred construction being illustrated vin the-rn` larged sectional views1 Figs',` 8 and 8;v 'I 'he electrodes employed are vof ldilferent -po,

suine be protected from Contact with the plut-cs. l here found, however, that the.

si ilt may fully protected by casing it with itahlc insulating material', so that :un led to employ a metal. for the shaft having the desired strength and yet prevent destruction of the same. The casing indicated at 27, Fig. 8, preferably follows the contour ef the shaft', and the elements 14 mountd upon this'casin'grhave h bs 28 nesting in the succeeding elements, thereby af-v fording additional insulation or the Shaft. The casing may be omitted', however, and the rotating elements may have h ubs 28 nesting in each other, as shown'in Fig. 8*..

f The electrodes employed in this particular Aformel? vthe apparatus may be' of carbon, o r o .f lsuitable metals, such as mild steel, aluminum, copper,tin,`etc. y

In` my improved apparatus, the plates of eachpolarity may be connected together by 'bolts -35 and 36, and binding posts 37 .and

.38, respectively, are attached to these bolts,

as shown in Figs. 13 and 14. These bolts are in .electrical contact -with alternating plates, Aas indicatedv in the drawings; thev treating liquid, in which thetreating chain-.

vberris indicated at A.- and receives via a pipe B a certainportion of thev whole of a predetermined body of liquid to be treated entering from a main C,.which also delivers ldirectly to the final treating receptacle D, through a pipe C'. The by-passed liquid after its electrical and'chemical treatment in the chamber A passes via a pipc'`E t0 the y 4receptacle D for action upon the greater f the effect of the Vcurrent in an insi volume of untreated liquid within Ythe same received directly from the pipe. C. It will he understood, of course, -that the 'treating Vchamber A and its operation is of a character precisely similar to that illustixiated in rig- 1- I have also discovered in treatiig waters for boiler andcthcr softening purposes containing scale forming matter vin sol ti tainei is to eliiect the` particles in s rendering them unusually chemie ly active.

A ln view of this condition, I mayiiiiject, by

I suitable means, such for instance as'a pump,

any suitable chemical reagent, which may be deivered attlie point 30 just below the upper bank of electrodes, or above, when it is desired to further treat the water by the upper bank of electrodes. l'Vhen injected below these upper electrodes they are cut out of circuit and serve as baille plates, causing athorough conimingling of the reagent and the electi'olyzedl particles of the water treat` ed while contained withinthe insulated cas.- ing. This causes a precipitation of the particles of scale forming nuiterizils .previously in suspension. furnished from the electrically active plates,

vquick sedimentation or filtration .is rcuderei'l possible. 1

As most wateis requiring treatment are good conductors, it4 has heretofore -been found necessary'when using .the usual current available to insert resistance, causing' a loss of electrical energy. To avoid this and make the apparatusself-contained, I iiiay extend the driving shaftll) from an operating motor 31 through thebase of the appa By means of the liydroxid ratus and connect therewith, a suitable gen! Y erator 32, and by vmeans of a rheostiit l. am enabled to govern the current delivered according to the needs of tlieyvarying conductivities of. the waters to be treated.

The shafts 15,' carrying the` rotating menibers 14, are driven bythe following means: The shaft 29 carries a bevelp inion'ft, mesh` ing with a bevelpinioii 46 on a vertical shaft 47, which carries :it its'lower end a pinion Art the lower ends. of the Shafts l5,"

gear wheels'49 and 50, in l( liiiving engagement, are secured,'and one 'of these gear wheels is driven by-tlie pinion 4S`0n the" lower end ofV the vertical shaft 47.' l'

- lAs. this application contains matter in common ivithaii applicationliled by i ne .my Q0, i915, N0. i,146 ,942) it isivo be treated as,a c oiitinuationof` said prior appli-` cation as far as the common subject-matter is concerned-l l claim:

und in surface Contact with adjacent electrodes, means for driving said blades, and

an electric generator also actuated by saidl driving means and in, circuit with said banks of electrodes.

2.,The combination of a casing Y a treating chamber, banks of,V electrodes therein, rotating blades disposed between and in surface contact with adjacent electrodes, a source of electrical energy, an electric motor fordriving said blades dei'i'ving `energy from said source, and an electric generator driven by Saidmotor and connected in circuit with said electrodes.

3. The`combination with a treating chamber having banks of electrodesthercin, of"- rotating blades, of insulating material d isposed between and in. surface contact with adjacent electrodes, a. motor generator in:V

circuit with said electrodes for passing current therethrough, and a mechanicalconnection between said motor generator and said forming I sus 105* 1. The combination 'of a casing forming a treating chamber, banks of electrode-sf therein, rotating -bl'ades 'disposed between' ber, means for passingr liquid through the saine against the force-of gravity, banltsol horizontally disposed electrodes mounted therein] fiat rotatable cleaning: kelements of. insulating` material between and in surface.

Contact with pai-rs vof adjacent electrodes,

and means exterior 'of the chamber for driving said 'rotatable elements.

The combination of a. easing providing a chamber, means for. passing liquid through said lchambergd-i plurality ofelectrodes arranged in sets and mounted in the chamber ofV said casing, -\'e.rtical driving shafts passing through said electrodes from top to-bottom of the casing.-l means for driving said-shafts, and rotatable-.blades disposed between and in surface contant with pairs of adjacent electrodes and driven by said shafts, said blades being.: of insu lating material and serving to insulate thi` electrodes from said shafts;

(3A The combination ofa' vertical easing providing a chamber, a plurality of, hoi-iA zontally disposed electrodes arranged Yin sets and mounted in the chamber of vsaid easing, means for insulating said' electrodes from the casini', vertical driving shafts passing through Said, electrodes, means for driving: said shafts.' rotatable cleaningr blades dispi'isedjV between 'pairs oi adjacent electrodes', said blades being;r mounted on and 'drii'en by said. shafts, insulating'means interposed between said electrodesand-lha shafts, and prf'iteetive means interposed between the Ashafts and .the rotatable blades.

and means for supporting the sepanite of' electrodes independently et' the shafts.

T. The combination ef a Vertical casing -iiifoi'ii'liiig a chamber, a plurality of horizontally disposed electrodes arranged in sets and mounted in the chamber of said casing, driving;A shafts passing through said elec? trndes, rotating eleaning'blades disposed between `pairs of adjacent electrodes and driven by said shafts, hubs carried'by said .blades and interposed .between the shafts and said elevtrodes, and brackets carried by the walls ol" the easingfor. support-ing saidl ,.h-uirndes .independently 'of the banks f 4 dil fing snails.

i S. "llacombination of .n.cas'nig haringA ceV ingY .end blades to agitateliqnid passing through the alvliara'ius, and-nieans,foigin'trof during' chemicals into Ysaid 'liquid-,prior to it"y discharge from the iipi'niratus.- Y

ll, tl'lii i'uiiilniiation (if a GaSi'lg,a pluralili4 nl' seis nl elei'ftrodvs mounted `in sii-id casing. rotating blades or paddles disposed' hein-eenadiai-enl' elertrodes, means for driving' `thil `ills nl' the easing forsupportingSaid chf-'im es. and-flexible lapsdisposcd be tween s.

nl im subscribing.witnesses .l sels of electrodesifoivdii'erting' vthe liqnid passing through saideasiigf.A`

lln listin-muy whereof:v I vli'aije Asig` ed `my 'naine to this' specification, iigt presence 

